ONC released a draft definition for the “meaningful use” of EHRs today, prepared by a workgroup of the Health IT Policy Committee. The definition will in part determine which providers are eligible to receive incentive payments for the use of health IT under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Providers who are “meaningful users” of health IT can receive up to $44,000 in increased Medicare and Medicaid payments over five...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act calls for the creation of regional health IT extension centers that help providers adopt and use health IT such as electronic health records. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT published a draft description of the program May 28, requesting comments by June 11. While ONC’s draft description rightly stressed the delivery of IT assistance, the centers and their clients...

AHIMA expressed support for a federal program establishing regional health IT extension centers that assist providers, but it registered concern that a program implemented ineffectively would cause confusion and contention and ultimately distract from the goal of EHR adoption and implementation. AHIMA’s comments were in response to a draft description of the program published May 28 by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hopes to start Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) automated reviews in late June and July, with more complex reviews rolling out later, according to a May 29 Health Leaders report. CMS expects to begin certain complex reviews like coding and DRG validation this fall. Medical necessity complex reviews will not begin until early 2010. “The automated reviews are less burdensome on...

The HISPC summary report on the work of its final phase is out. Styled an “action and implementation manual,” it presents the work of the privacy and security group’s year-long third phase. In addition to the summary report, the seven subgroups that comprise the collaboration are presenting their work through free webinars on Tuesdays and Thursdays this month. The sessions focus on the tools and processes developed by each group, as...